


Questions

by ShadowSelene (Shadowdianne)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-11 04:18:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15964547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowdianne/pseuds/ShadowSelene
Summary: Prompt asked by @honey-where-is-my-subaru : “Did you forget it or did you just ignore it.” via tumblrHad she remembered Storybrooke?The brunette looked away from the woman, momentarily leaning on the railing in just enough un-ladylike fashion for Roni to shine through. She knew the answer, the one she was supposed to answer, the question laced on Emma’s words. The one she would get to ask, the one she wouldn’t.





	Questions

 

“Did you forget them, or did you just ignore them?”

Emma’s question made Regina raise her eyes from the people below, many meters away from them above and down the railing that, even now, after all those years, still circled the tallest tower of the castle. The blonde, clothes already changed as well as her, was toying with the cord that was, even now, fastened around her wrist. Fabric torn, it barely held up from a couple of points around the bony structure of the wrist, but Regina could picture it as good as new, the addition a shiver-causing detail she had taken notice the day after Graham had been found.

They had never truly talked about it, she thought, musing the idea before going back to the retreating carriages and cars, the mismatch charming enough for her to sigh slightly. The weight of the now missing crown was still heavy on her temple and, as the sun began to settle beyond the southern border of the merged realms, she turned back to Emma’s eyes. Greener than ever before.

Greener than she remembered them being last time they had seen each other. Different however, from the shade they had been the moment the woman had muttered a soft “hi” that had camped her dreams far longer than the curse had been on effect.

Which was, she thought, teeth peeking through half-parted lips, eyes down to the blonde’s fingers, to where she played with her ring, the one that felt loose and clunkier than ever in a way, the real answer to Emma’s question.

“The memories, I mean.” The blonde added, a slight smile curving a side of her lips, just enough for new wrinkles beginning to show, just enough for Regina to wonder how many firsts she had been unable to see already. “Did you dream about Storybrooke?”

And Regina, still eyeing the ring, had the word “no” bubbling just beneath her tongue, the answer painless and easy as she, finally, looked up. At Emma’s face, at those lips she had found herself actually picturing, close but never enough, telling her sweet nothings and truths that had woken her up with a name curling on her throat and no recollection of “why.”

Had she remembered Storybrooke?

The brunette looked away from the woman, momentarily leaning on the railing in just enough un-ladylike fashion for Roni to shine through. She knew the answer, the one she was supposed to answer, the question laced on Emma’s words. The one she would get to ask, the one she wouldn’t.

Grinding her teeth, she rose her head and pressed her lips together, ready to answer what she was supposed to say, the lines already appearing on the back of her eyelids, gold and red and just the faintest accent of their conjoined magic. A kind of power she had felt filling her lungs the moment the curse had been broken; Emma’s presence too forceful for the atmosphere not to be charged with it.

Instead, however, a different answer came through, curling on her teeth and falling to the floor as she hugged herself, lips tingling as she muttered a quick “I remembered some things” that felt too hot on her skin as it fell, too strong as it imploded around them both, asking, pleading, for Emma to keep asking, to keep questioning.

And, for a second, as the blonde looked away momentarily, paleness on her cheeks and red on her eyes, Regina was sure they were going to stop. As they always did, had done, a long time ago. A hug, an almost kiss, a confession, wrapped around what should happen, what should be done.

Emma’s fingers, though, stilled around her ring, the one Regina had always hated, and picked it, pulling it away from her finger, letting it rest between her index and thumb as it caught the lights of the mixture of candles and modern appliances that covered the newly brought castles. There it was, Regina trembled but held her gaze, lips still parted, chest heaving as she felt magic rushing through her veins, pumping on her wrist, lightning her chest as she breathed in and out, the air filled with Emma’s own sparks; still dirty white.

Instead of silence, instead of a nod and a glance away, Emma pressed the tips of the fingers that now had her ring against her lips, enough to leave an indentation for the half-a-second she let Regina see that mouth, pinkish skin never once seen as pliable, as kissable, as it suddenly looked like.

“Did you remember me?”

The question was rushed, forcefully taken out before any kind of strength disappeared, the kind of strength that had fed on Regina’s memories, on Regina’s dreams. The brunette blinked and took a step towards the other woman, chest too tight and constricted as she, finally, let herself fully accept that yes; she had dreamt about the other woman. Sometimes, she added inwardly, seeking those dreams on the wee hours of the night, as her mind still wasn’t quite asleep or awake, just figures and shadows and unrestricted thoughts.

“I did.” She croaked, and Regina could feel the answer there, the question there, the admission there, just shining through in the same fashion than the “I love you” had been just too close, far too close for them both many times before.

And perhaps, if Emma had stopped there, the two of them could have pretended nothing had happened, that they were still the same. Blind and fool. However, the blonde’s eyes were stormy and full of magic as she searched her own gaze, taking a step closer, raising her hands and placing them next but not really to Regina’s; never once touching her, warm enough for the brunette to feel them. Too close, too far.

“What did you dream about?”

Emma’s leather jacket was cold the moment Regina pushed herself away from the railing, closer to her. The body beneath it, however, was warm and soft as Regina, eyeing the blonde slowly and moving ever so slightly, dropped a kiss on the underside of the younger woman’s chin, eliciting a slight shiver that made her hum.

“This.” She whispered, lips against skin, tongue pressed against teeth, magic already beginning to crackle and jump.

Below, the carriages left, leaving the main entrance to the castle the only witness as newly crowned Queen finally got to kiss the savior. Inside, the few who hadn’t left felt a tremor on the magic around them, one strong enough for the fairies to glance at each other, unsure. Above, fate and destiny interwoven, cracked at last as story was rewritten, destroyed, as Regina pushed Emma on top of her, a sob on her throat and laughter on her tongue as Emma answered to her with frantic movements, fingers tangled and strong as they tried to magic the dress away.

But that’s another story.


End file.
